How To Set The Stage For A Beautiful Relationship With Your Clients

A colleague once told me that many of her clients drained her energy. She called them “energy vampires,” which apparently is a thing.

I asked her why she thought her clients “sucked the life out of her,” and she said: “They don’t pay me on time,” “I need to set better boundaries,” “They don’t respect my time,” and “They haggle over my rate.”

This is not the first time I’ve heard this kind of complaint. Many solopreneurs seem to struggle with these issues.

But it’s never been the case for me, so I asked myself why.

Why do I get excited on Mondays and look forward to talking to my clients?

Why do I feel energised after our coaching sessions?

Why do I get paid on time? In fact, why do I get paid upfront even when the agreement is worth tens of thousands of dollars?

Why is it that, in 5 years in business as a coach, no one has ever bargained my prices or even mentioned anything about my rates?

Why are my clients so respectful of my time?

The answer is simple:

As a coach, I set the stage. And I do this in several ways…

1. I listen to my intuition. When a prospect doesn’t feel right, it’s a no-go. I’m just not willing to take your money if we don’t jive.

2. If it’s a clear “yes!” from both the client and myself, I outline a clear agreement for our coaching relationship. This agreement is then signed and honored.

3. I always invite my clients to listen to their own intuition before agreeing to working with me, because I don’t offer refunds. “When you’re in, you’re in!” I say, and I make sure that this is crystal clear right off the bat.

4. I NEVER make a hard sell on a call — in fact, I don’t sell — and I’m flat against taking someone’s credit card before they sleep on their decision, which goes against what most sales guru will teach you.

(I’m also 100% against manipulative sales technique or using coaching to convince someone to work with me — which is unethical, by the way. I want my clients to stand in their power and to choose from a place of wisdom whether they want to invest in coaching or not. That’s the kind of relationship I’m building, one that is based on trust.)

5. I refuse to take on a client who “desperately needs my help” or work with someone who is prone or addicted to drama. It’s just not my kind of thing.

Being clear on the kind of space you’re inviting your clients into, as well as being clear on who your ideal clients are, is a powerful thing.

I’ve been crystal clear from the beginning, which is why I’m attracting clients who are such a good match.

Now, this doesn’t mean that my coaching relationships are perfect. I’m human, and so are my clients.

But I’m very clear that…

No one can actually take energy from me; that’s just not possible.

The energy vampire thing? Not a thing.

Our entire reality is created from the inside-out, and anything we experience is through our own thinking. So, your clients aren’t taking your energy; your judgmental thinking about them is what is creating a lack of energy. Try being fully present with a quiet mind, and tell me if that feels differently than an overthinking mind.

When I am grounded in my Self, I don’t need to set boundaries. In fact, I would even argue that setting boundaries OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF is impossible. You must hold the energy within you in order to see it come to life. Remove all noisy thinking from your mind (or let it be background noise), and you will be grounded in your inner security. That’s a powerful space to be in.

When I’m confident in myself, my work, my rates, and my coaching, I attract people that resonate; 99% of the “sale” is therefore already done. Then, it’s up to me to confidently make a proposal and be totally ok with a “yes” or a “no.” I am whole, I am divine, and I am having fun in my business whether you chose to work with me or not. Also a beautiful place to be.

My approach to the Ideal Client Avatar exercise is intuitive and fluid. You’ll not only get more clarity on who your ideal clients are, but you’ll also learn how to set the stage, which practically translates to less time wasted with the wrong peeps and more sales with the right ones.

Listen to the episode here, and, if it was helpful, do let me know when you leave a review on iTunes!

Enjoy,
Caroline

PS: I could teach a whole class on confident and authentic selling. Get in touch if you’d be interested.

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